Motion picture machine



July 24, 1934- M. scHElNFELD 1,967,594

MOTION 4PICTUREJ MACHINE Filed Jan. 2. 1930 Patented July 24, 1934 UNITED STATESy MorIoN PICTURE MACHINE Morris Schenfeld, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor of one-fourth to Jacob Freedman, one-fourth to Gilmore'Wooler, both of Philadelphia, Pa., and one-fourth to Elbert A. Carbin, Jr., Swarthmore, Pa. Application January 2,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to motion picture machines, and it relates more particularly to im proved fire extinguishing means adapted to be mounted upon the reel magazines of such machines.

The principal object of my invention is to provide improved means adapted to be mounted upon motion picture machines, whereby,` in the event of the film catching fire, as it frequently does when exposed unduly to the heat from the lamp, the fire will be confined to the exposed portion of the film, and will be prevented from reaching the main body of the nlm contained within the magazines.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device adaptable for the purposes aforesaid, which will be simple, efficient, and certain in its action, which may be used on existing types of motion picture projectionmachines, and which will not interfere with the expeditious threading of the film through the projection machine when the reels are changed.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a device adapted to be mounted upon the reel magazines of motion picture machines, said device embodying the main features of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof, detached;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l; A

Fig. 5 is a top or plan view-of a portion of the device, detached; and Y Fig. 6 is an underneath plan View of another portion thereof.

It will, of course, be understood that the drawing and description herein contained are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, in the particular embodiment of my invention therein shown, the device is contained within a housing comprising a stationary portion 10, and a portion 11 movable with respect thereto, the movable portion preferably being hinged by means of a pin 12.

The movable portion 11 of the housing is normally maintained in the closed position by means 1 of a coil spring 13, mounted on the hinge pin 12.

1930, serial No. 417,951

(o1. sas- 17) The stationary portion 10 of the housingis secured, by means of a bracket 15, to the wall 14 of the magazine through which vthe film passes.

A plate member 16 is mounted within the housing in such position that the film passes adjacent thereto, but normally does not touch the same.

The lm may be guided through the device by means of a plurality of rollers 17, which are journaled by means of spindles 18. The spindles 18 are mounted in the side walls of the portion l() of the housing. The central portions of the rollers 17 are reduced in diameter, so that the film bears against said rollers only at the edges thereof.

The movable portion 11 of the housing also carries a movable plate member 19, which is im'- pelled toward the nlm by means of springs 20. The plate member 19 is provided with extensions 2l, in which the spindles 22 are mounted.

The spindles 22 serve as a means of journaling rollers 23, adapted to bear against the side portions of the nlm. The ends of the spindles 22 upon which the rollers 23 are mounted extend into slots 24 in the side walls of the portion 11 of the housing. l

The rollers 17 are preferably provided in pairs at each end of the device, and the rollers 23 are so located as to bear upon the film 25 at a point between the points where the lmis supported by the rollers 17. i

' By the foregoing arrangement, when the nlm 25 is under normal tension, the plate member 19 will be held away from the plate member 16, and out of engagement with the film 25 where the same passes between said plate members, thus permitting the nlm to pass freely through* the device without having the picture surface thereof scratched.

The operation' of the device may now be explained. When it is desired to insert a new lm in the machine, the movable portion 1l of the housing, and the parts carried thereby, are pulled away from the stationary portion 10 thereof, to the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. l of the drawing, whereupon the end of the nlm may be inserted in the device, it being noted that the bracket member 15 is provided with an open throat 26 on one side thereof to permit the film to be thus inserted.

The movable portion `11 of the housing, and

the parts carried thereby, are now permitted to swing to the closed, position under tension of the spring 13, whereupon, byv reason of the rollers 23 dion However, in the event of the film catching iire, as soon as the same burns suiiiciently to relieve the tension on the lm, the springs 20 will cause the plate member 19 to be advanced toward the plate member 16, engaging the lm therebetween. The lm will thus be held between :two metallic plates, and the re thereby quenched, and prevented irom reaching the main body of the -iilm within the magazine.

It will be noted that the device is so constructed and arranged as to require no attention on the part of the operator, the parts automatically adjusting themselves to the proper positions. lt will also be noted that during ythe normal `operation of the motion picture machine, `the picture Vbearing portion of the film will pass through the device without bearing upon any portion thereof, so that there Will be no resultantscratching of said picture bearing portion of the lm.

I claim:

1. A re extinguishing device for motion picture machines comprising a housing through which the nlm normally passes, a stationary plate mounted within said housing, a ,movable plate arranged adjacent thestationary-plate .and adapted when released to hold the tfilm against the stationary plate, means for guiding the lm between said plates, means impelling vthe movable plate toward the stationary plate, and lmeans #for holding said movable plate separated from said stationary plate while Ythe flm is .passing normally therebetween, said means comprising'members carried by extensions of the movable ,plate and bearing against unsupported portions of the film.

y2. AA re extinguishing device for motion -picture machines ycomprising a housing =through which the nlm normally passes, a stationaryplate moimted Within said housing, a movable plate arranged adjacent the stationary plate-and adapted when released to 'hold the lm -against the stationary plate, rollers for guiding the lm Abetween said plates, means imp'elling the movable plate toward the stationary plate, and means for holding said movable plate separated fromssaid stationary plate while the iilm vis ,passing normally therebetween, :said means comprising rollersfcarried by-extensions-of the movableplate vand bearing against unsupported portionsof -the-lm.

3. A fire extinguishing ydevice for motion -pic ture `machin-es comprising .a housing through which the lm normally passes, said-housingcomprising two portions, one'of which is movable with respect -to the other, -means for `normally holding the movable portion of the housing in its closed position, a stationary plate `mounted lwithin said housing, a movable plate arranged adjacent the stationary plate and :adapted when released to hold the film lagainst the stationary plate, -said `respect to the other, imeans for normally holding the movable `portion of the housing in its closed position, a stationary plate mounted within said housing, a movable plate arranged adjacent the Astationary plate, said movable plate being oarriedby the movable portion of the housing, means for guiding the lm between said plates, means impellingthe movable plate toward the stationary plate, and means for holding said movable plate separated from said stationary plate while the film is passing normally therebetween, said means comprising members carried by the movable plate and bearing against unsupported portions of the film.

5. A ire `extinguishing device for motion picture machines comprising a housing through whichthe lmnormally passes, said housing comprising two portions, oneof which is movable with respect to the other, means for normally holding the `movable portion vof the housing in its closed position, a stationary plate mounted within vsaid housing, -a movable plate arranged adjacent the stationary plate, said movable vplate being car-- ried lby the movable vportion of the housing, rollers for guiding `the lm between said plates, means impellingthe movable plate toward thestationary plate, `and Imeans for holding said movable plate 1 separated Yfrom said stationary plate while the film is passing normally therebetween, said means comprising rollers carried by extensions of the movable plate and vbearing against unsupported portions of the nlm.

6. A fire extinguishing device for motion -picture machines comprising a stationary plate, a movable plate arranged adjacent thereto and-adapted when released'to tbear against the nlm and `hold the same vagainstthestationary plate, nlm supportin'gmembers immediatelyadjacent said plates for guiding .the -ilm between said plates, spring means impelling the movable plate toward the stationary plate, and members bearingV against 'the lm between the nlm-supporting members thereby to hold the movable plate separated from the stationaryplate while the iilm is passing normally therebetween. MORRIS SCI-IEINFELD. 

